Your online source for the highest quality macrobiotic food, books, cookware and more

Book Highlight:Mayumi's Kitchen by Mayumi Nishimura

What the stars say about Mayumi's cooking:

"Not only are you the best chef in the world...your amazing food helped me to be a happier, healthier person, balanced in body and mind." Madonna

"Mayumi makes beautiful, energizing food, which I have been lucky enough to enjoy many times over the years. I am thrilled that now everyone can have a chance to experience the effects of her meals, which are as healing and healthy as one can get!" Gwyneth Paltrow

Along with her faculty position Mirea is the Kushi Institute Assistant Director.

To learn more about the expo, other featured speakers, and Mirea's presentation Beyond Whole Foods click here.

John Kozinski

Concerned About Nuclear

Radiation Fallout?

Kushi Institute senior teacher and macrobiotic

counselor John Kozinski shares timely information

on this important issue.

Ideas to Protect Yourself from Harmful Radiation

As the crisis in Japan unfolds, there is uncertainty about possible radiation that may affect Japan and the world.

Potassium iodide pills have been sold out at many of the American distributors. Potassium iodide helps protect a person from the harmful effects of radioactive iodine by blocking it's uptake into the thyroid. One possible serious effect of exposure to large doses of radioactive iodine is thyroid cancer.

There are some natural foods that will help if you have radiation exposure. Here is a list with some explanations.

Leafy greens: stimulate the colon and help the liver discharge radiation from the body.

Fermented foods: have the same effect as leafy greens. These include miso, natural cucumber pickles, and fermented sauerkraut. The best quality pickles are homemade or found in the refrigerated section of the store. They do not have vinegar as an ingredient.

Avoid or limit sugars. These will ferment in the gut and interfere with elimination

Avoid hard and dry grains such as granola, and dried cereal. This kind of fiber creates bad bacteria hampering the gut.

Eat moderate amounts of grains and cooked vegetables, small amounts of beans regularly and fish along with some cooked fruit, healthy fats and natural seasonings. If you eat other forms of animal foods, be moderate. Excessive amounts will interfere with digestion

Limit raw foods. Raw fiber is harder to digest and will hamper elimination.

Good quality saturated fats block the toxicity of radioactive ions such as avocado and coconut oil. Increase these in times of a nuclear disaster.

Fatty fish: fat soluble vitamins in fatty fish like wild salmon or sardines aid elimination. Eat more often in a disaster.

Kelp tablets from clean waters or kombu powder made from kombu from clean waters. The natural iodine can replace the potassium iodine pills. Take a pill every 1-2 hours if exposed to radiation. North American Herb and Spice Company has good quality kelp under the name, PureKelp. If using kombu powder take a half teaspoon 3 times a day.

Miso has a substance that will remove radiation from the body. Prepare soups and season with a strong taste of miso if there is nuclear disaster. Drink 3 cups per day.

Umeboshi Plums: Take 1-2 daily. This will stimulate the liver and colon to eliminate radiation.